Interesting Facts about Lemniscias

Lemniscias are land based snails that breathe air. They are critically endangered and can only be found in Portugal. To be specific they are found on the Madeira Islands. Lemniscias like to live under stones, on grassy hills, and high rocky places. Like all snails, the Lemnisicas travels on its belly. What they really have is foot on their stomach.

Did you know?

All snails are Gastropods (that means they only have one foot, and it’s on its stomach.)

Of all the islands in the Madeira chain, the most common place to find Lemniscias is Madeira in Ribeira do Fayal.

Lemniscias only stay in 10 square kilometers of the island. Fossils prove though that they use to be much more common.

In July 2012 Madeira was having a drought and wildfires started. The fires eventually got so out of control that the firemen had to fight it from Portugal’s mainland.

The islands have 250 species of snail and slugs that call them home.

Activity: Make some color sheets of a Lemniscia. Distribute one to each child and have them color it. Add their name with a black marker and staple them to a “snail race” themed bulletin board. The snail can be used as a marker for good behavior in the classroom.